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by gentlesouthernsun



Series: Fractals [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Fem!Sherlock, Female Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Nosy Siblings, Oblivious Sherlock, Obsessive Behavior
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-27
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-02-06 09:54:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1853695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gentlesouthernsun/pseuds/gentlesouthernsun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When another pawn enters The Game, The Game itself is intrinsically changed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Portions of dialogue are taken from ‘Sherlock’ S1E1: A Study in Pink. No copyright infringement is intended.  
> \---  
> “Knowing that a particle can occupy two different states at the same time—a state known as superposition—and, two particles, such as two particles of light, or photons, can become entangled, means that there is a unique, coupled state in which an action, like a measurement, upon one particle immediately causes a correlated change in the other." - Sally Ember, The Spanners Series

He’s trying to lure her out, she thinks, as she reads through the paper that morning. It won’t work of course – it will never work, not now, not ever, because she sees and she observes, and while James may be one of the few people who understands her, he does not understand her completely.

There are only two people in the entire world who can make that claim, and one of them is currently trying to convince dear old Hudders to let him in.

“I’m her brother, Mrs. Hudson, it is my duty to-”  
“Well, you’re her least favorite brother, and don’t you think she hasn’t told me about the things you’ve had her do these past few weeks, no sir-”  
“While I may be her least favorite, I am the one that is here, and you must let me in so I can speak to her-”  
  
Their bickering will undoubtedly end with Mycroft forcing his way in by manipulating Mrs. Hudson’s weakness for “strong family ties,” so there is no reason for her to continue sitting there listening to them argue, but she will. Sherlock has given up doing things to make her brother’s life easier. As far as she’s concerned, The British Government can go sodomize himself with a cactus.

She lights a cigarette and waits patiently for the inevitable.

“You said you broke that disgusting little habit,” Mycroft chastises, removing an empty box from the chair immediately across from her before sitting down.

“Working on it,” she hums, blowing a cloud of smoke out of her nose. “Whatever you’re here for, the answer is no. I will not continue your game with Moriarty for you; I am not your pawn. I will not consider letting you find me a flatmate; I will find my own. I will not stop smoking, because I’ve already stopped with my other recreational behaviors. The day I am hospitalized for a nicotine overdose we can have that conversation, but until then, you will leave my ‘disgusting little habit’ alone,” she continues conversationally, grinding the butt of the cigarette into the ashtray on the table beside her.

“Sherlock,” Mycroft begins, but she will not let him finish.

“No, Mycroft. I have had enough.” The interruption is firm, but her voice is softer, her exhaustion more apparent. “If I need you you’ll know.”

“I’ll install more surveillance around Baker Street, then,” her brother sighs, resigned. “Anthea told me to tell you that she’ll meet you for lunch at the usual place, and to stop stringing poor Hooper along.”

“I have no idea what she’s talking about. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to be at Bart’s in an hour.”

* * *

[6:43] _Did you read the paper this morning?_

[6:44] _Your move, Holmes._

[8:00] _You are going to play, aren’t you?_

* * *

“Good morning, Sherlock!”  
“Is it? I hadn’t noticed.”  
“Oh, come off it. What’s got you irritated so early?”  
“Brothers who drop by to scold and call it a housewarming visit.”  
“You moved in before you found a flatmate? How are you affording it?”  
“Contrary to popular opinion, I do not spend all my money on tobacco.”  
“Still ought to find someone to split the price with. I have a friend-”  
“Who’d want _me_ for a flatmate?” (1)

* * *

 

“You’re early, Sherly.”

“Anthea, a pleasure as always. Tell my brother to stop worrying, I’m working on finding someone to share Baker Street with right now.”

“Right now? I’m flattered, Sherlock, but I already have a very comfortable living situation.”

“Funny. Mike Stamford and I were talking this morning, and I’ve decided I need to find someone. Molly’s been behaving oddly, so she’s off the list-”

“Molly Hooper has been attempting to get your attention since you began working at Bart’s.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Anthea stresses, “that you should ask her to go for coffee and explain very directly that you are flattered but you are, unfortunately, married to your work.”

“Molly doesn’t think of me that way. I would notice.”

“No you wouldn’t, goose.”

Sherlock bristles at that, but they are not there to discuss Molly Hooper or her observatory skills. “Would too. Do you have the file I asked for?”

“Of course I do. Which case is this one, again?”

“The man killed under mysterious circumstances in a locked room on the second floor.” 

“Could it be a suicide?” 

“Unless he managed to bash his own head in, no. I have a good idea about who did it, and this will either confirm or deny my theory.”

“Good. While we’re on the topic of crime, we really ought to talk abou-”

No. They are not going to talk about this, they are not going to bring that into their nice little tea, and Anthea can go tell Mycroft to piss off. Sherlock tells her as much.

“Sherlock, I don’t want to talk because your brother wants to know. I want to talk because I want to know and because I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine. I’m not going to relapse, and I’ve decided to stop smoking until I’ve acquired a flatmate and we’ve discussed house rules,” Sherlock sighs, rubbing at the patch under her sleeve. It’s not the same, but it’ll have to do. 

“If you’re sure.” 

“I am. Thank you for the file. Same time next week, then?”

* * *

 

There is an incredibly awkward conversation with Molly afterwards, and all Sherlock wants to do is lock her out of the morgue so she can think, but this domain is more Molly’s than it is hers. She can respect that, certainly.

She is incredibly confused by the lipstick – there is no one to impress in the lab, certainly, as the dead do not care either way, and Sherlock herself has already seen Molly without lipstick on. Aesthetically, it’s quite nice, she supposes, and returns to her notebook, scrawling observations about the cadaver, before she realizes that Molly is saying something. 

“Sorry, you were saying?”

“I was wondering if you’d like to have coffee,” Molly says, watching her intently.

“Black, two sugars, please. I’ll be upstairs,” Sherlock nods, before turning to go up to the lab. (2)

She walks up the stairs, a smug grin on her face. Anthea had no idea what she was talking about.


	2. Chapter 2

Not quite five minutes later, Mike Stamford has brought his friend into the lab and Sherlock borrows his phone, sends two copies of the same text, and has correctly deduced that John Watson served in the Middle East. 

Molly appears with the coffee, and Sherlock wonders out loud about the sudden lack of lipstick and wonders again how Molly was not pleased with the effects. 

As Molly leaves, Sherlock returns to her station and inquires about Watson’s feelings towards the violin. He is confused, and Sherlock clarifies, letting him know that potential flatmates ought to know the worst about each other (this is not the worst thing about her, not by far, and Mike knows, but Mike won’t say anything because he thinks the worst is that she used to be an addict) giving him a delightfully insincere smile as he mulls this over. 

“Who said anything about flatmates?” 

“I did. Told Mike this morning that I must be a difficult woman to find a flatmate for. Now, here he is just after lunch with an old friend, clearly just home from military service in Afghanistan. Wasn’t that difficult a leap.”(1) 

Watson enquires about how she knew, and she ignores him, lets him know about the nice little flat she’s had her eye on and tells him to meet her there tomorrow evening at seven as she shrugs on her coat. 

He protests, saying that they don’t know anything about each other, that he doesn’t know where they’re meeting, doesn’t know her name. 

Sherlock looks at him a moment before speaking. 

“I know you’re an Army doctor and you’ve been invalided home from Afghanistan. I know you’ve got a brother who’s worried about you but you won’t go to him because you don’t approve of him – possibly because he’s an alcoholic; more likely because he recently walked out on his wife. And I know your therapist thinks your limp’s psychosomatic – quite correctly, I’m afraid. That’s enough to be going on with, don’t you think?(2)” She turns and heads out the door, but leans back into the lab again. 

“The name’s Sherlock Holmes and the address is 221 B Baker Street(3),” she winks, clicking her tongue. She gives Mike a grin and an “Afternoon” before she disappears, slamming the door behind her. 

* * *

Somewhere, a phone buzzes.

[[13:05]](http://%5B13:05%5D) If brother has green ladder, arrest brother. SH(4) 

The recipient grins. 

* * *

Sherlock sets about unpacking a few more of her boxes, placing her microscope on the kitchen counter and making sure a few of her experiments are developing as expected. Around two, her phone begins going off. 

* * *

 

 [[13:59]](http://%5B13:59%5D) Took you longer than I was expecting. x M 

[[14:00]](http://%5B14:00%5D) Not losing your touch, are you? x M 

[[14:01]](http://%5B14:01%5D) Of course I’m not. It took longer than expected to acquire the appropriate information. SH 

[[14:02]](http://%5B14:02%5D) Mhm. I’m going to have to start placing time limits on these games. x M 

[[14:03]](http://%5B14:03%5D) Twenty-four hours seems long enough to me. SH

[[14:04]](http://%5B14:04%5D) Waiting that long is dull. I’ll have to up the ante soon. x M 

[[14:04]](http://%5B14:04%5D) Do you want to play chess later? Seb is out and I’m bored. x M 

[[14:07]](http://%5B14:07%5D) No. I’m busy. SH 

[[14:08]](http://%5B14:08%5D) Doing what? I haven’t given you another puzzle yet. x M 

[[14:14]](http://%5B14:14%5D) Unpacking. Had to get away from all the bugs. SH 

[[14:15]](http://%5B14:15%5D) I’d noticed. Big Brother watching you too often? x M 

[[14:16]](http://%5B14:16%5D) No. SH 

[[14:18]](http://%5B14:18%5D) Yes. He stopped round this morning before I could get out. Keeps trying to force a flatmate on me. SH 

[[14:19]](http://%5B14:19%5D) I could help you find one. x M 

[[14:20]](http://%5B14:20%5D) I’m trying to avoid ending up with someone who’s on a payroll, but thank you. SH 

[[14:22]](http://%5B14:22%5D) You wound me. Have you found anyone yet? x M 

[[14:26]](http://%5B14:26%5D) Meeting him tomorrow to show him. SH 

[[14:27]](http://%5B14:27%5D) Him? x M

[[14:28]](http://%5B14:28%5D) Who is he? x M 

[[14:29]](http://%5B14:29%5D) I’ll find out even if you don’t tell me. x M 

[[14:35]](http://%5B14:35%5D) I’m not going to have Seb kill him, if that’s what you’re worried about. I just want to know who he is. x M 

[[14:40]](http://%5B14:40%5D) You have to tell me. x M

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1 – 3) Copied verbatim (with a small change to mirror Sherlock’s gender in this fanfiction) from Sherlock’s first interaction with John in A Study in Pink.  
> (4) Text message John finds in his phone’s outbox.

**Author's Note:**

> Contact me directly on [tumblr](http://www.landserene.tumblr.com).  
> Thanks to Dallas for proofreading this for me and for letting me bombard her with ideas when I probably should have been writing them down. xx  
> \---  
> (1) This is copied directly from John’s conversation with Mike, used to emphasize Mike’s later statement that John is the “second person to say that to [Mike] today.”  
> (2) This exchange is copied verbatim from the first scene between Sherlock and Molly in A Study in Pink.


End file.
